by Claire Buss
Joe continued to work the ingredients into a paste. There was some muttering, a few surprising colour changes and once a huge smoke ball that smelt strongly of rotten eggs which wafted across the campsite, lingering a lot longer than anyone cared for.
'It's ready.' Joe and Fourteen spoke at once. He had made the deadly paste. She had concocted a rabbit stew that smelt rich and inviting and had somehow fried fish strips in butter – in butter! Goodness only knows where she found that.
Ned gathered the various knives and began dipping them into the paste, rubbing it in with a piece of dragonhide they had found in one of the supply bags whilst the rest of them helped themselves to food and in Brogan's case to seconds. Ned had nearly finished when Fourteen apologetically placed four more knives on the floor.
'Let me do these. You get some food before it's all gone.'
Ned smiled gratefully, what a woman the Emperor was turning out to be. He, indeed no-one, noticed Fourteen surreptitiously dip the discarded arrow heads into the mixture and then rolling up the arrows and bow into her saddle bag. Such things could come in handy. Waste not want not as Ma Bowl always used to say.
The camp fire was full of the happy silence of well fed people. Even Mia had to begrudgingly agree – to herself, not verbally – that it was a fine feast for people effectively on the run and halfway up a mountain.
Chapter 34
They slept well. They did not notice the nocturnal visitors who were swiftly deterred by Jenni's you don't want nuffink to do wiv this place ward. It was probably for the best. Five humans, a nymph and a sprite do not turn up in the mountains every day. It looked like fast food had finally slowed down and decided to deliver itself so the variety of bloodthirsty predators were wide ranging. A couple of them considered camping outside to wait for whatever was inside to emerge, but the dawning of a bright ball of sunshine made them think it was probably best to go home and sleep.
Ned looked at the ground in front of the cave curiously. Had every single creature in the mountains come to look at the outside of the cave? How strange. He was the first awake and waited impatiently for everyone else to rouse. Eventually some slightly squashed breakfast rolls were handed out and somehow Fourteen put coffee on to boil. This camping out lark was easy peasy when you had Griff to supply you. The group finally got on their way and began the climb up the side of the Purple Mountain.
No-one spoke much. The air was a little thinner and the ground a little looser. You had to watch every step so that you didn't turn an ankle. Then there were the midges. Attracted by an abundance of warm bodies, they were having the time of their life. So much blood to choose from. Mother midges were bringing their whole families out and soon a hazy swarm surrounded the group.
'Jenni! Can't you do something about this?' yelled Ned, spitting out a few midges that decided to dive-bomb his mouth.
'Nope.'
'Why not?'
'S'nature ain't it, gotta let it be. First law and all.'
Ned glared at the sprite but she wasn't bothered by him or the midges, her unique smell kept most of them at arms' length and tough sprite skin meant that even those who made it through her singular odour were unable to bite. Willow was also midge free and doing her best to swish the air around Fourteen and Joe with various tendrils. Brogan still didn't even know which day of the week it was, let alone what mountain he was climbing or what bug was biting him. Bug biting was a common ailment for barbarians. Came with the line of work. Mia looked as miserable as Ned felt.
They continued trudging on and eventually the midges left them alone. In fact, every bush, plant, bug, lizard, spider, snake and probably a multitude of other nature, disappeared. The power of the sorcerer was beginning to show. It got quiet, even the sky began to forebode. Everything about the place was screaming at them to leave now and never come back. Except for Jenni, she was capering in delight. To her it was like some kind of natural Eden. Magic called to her and she felt intoxicated.
'Ned, have you seen Jenni?' Fourteen asked in concern.
'She looks happy. Glad someone is.'
'Yes, but didn't Mia say her father was preying on fae? What if there's an enchantment at work that we can't see but she can.'
Ned watched as Jenni skipped delightedly. She never skipped. 'You might be right. Hey Jenni, come here a minute would you?'
She danced over to him and he ran a quick decontamination sweep over her. Standard thief-catcher issue - you never knew what you'd come up against in Roshaven.
'Boss? Wassup?' Jenni shook her head, trying to clear the fuzziness.
'Just checking up on you. We want to keep you safe, Jenni. We need you at full strength.'
She nodded rather dreamily, still basking in the magical glow that only she could see. Ned frowned. Jenni would never normally allow herself to be swept like this, she claimed the decontamination removed vital layers of her personal aroma. He hoped she would snap out of whatever this was before they reached the sorcerer. She was their main firepower. She was their only firepower. No-one else had anything close.
They trudged and trudged, the top of the mountain creeping closer and closer. No-one felt inclined to stop nor did they particularly want to hurry. They ate in silence whilst on the move. There was much dagger flourishing by everyone, bar Jenni and Willow, as the group checked they could reach their blades easily and quickly. Surely the sorcerer would not be able to stop all of them at once, besides all they needed was for one blade to nick him. The paste was potent.
The dark clouds gathered above them, menacing and grumbling to themselves. Thunder rolled and lightning began to crack the sky.
'Ah, the theatrics have begun.' Mia said sourly, trying to feel like she was doing the right thing but all she could think about was that her father had told her to bring Ned and Fourteen to him. She had now done that, however, she was also involved in the plan to confront and stop him. It didn't seem like such a good idea now they were so close. Perhaps she could offer the others up as extra payment. Father could always make use of parts. And if she gave him a nymph and a sprite there was a miniscule chance he would let Brogan be. After all, he couldn't possibly have any use for her stupid barbarian.
As they rounded a corner everyone suddenly stopped. It was involuntary. No-one had decided to stop, they just couldn't move anymore. Except breathe. They could still breathe. And they could still roll their eyes theatrically at each other as they tried to figure out exactly what had happened. Mia's nose itched. Without thinking she scratched her nose and instantly seven sets of accusing eyeballs were riveted on her.
'Okay fine, I can move but look, this wasn't my idea.'
Before she could say any more there was a crack of violent lightning and the sorcerer who had been so threatening in the Emperor's throne room stood before them. Not stood. More like loomed. He crackled with raw energy and glowed darkly, somehow. As if touching him would rot you from the outside in.
'Child. I see you finally kept your promise. But why do I have all this extra baggage?' He gauged Joe's magical ability and frowned. 'He is of no use to me. He cannot even amplify his own father. What a waste.' He crooked a finger and Joe crumpled to the ground.
Ned felt like he had been kicked in the stomach by ten horses. Just like that Joe was finished. This was a suicide mission - they didn't stand a chance. He caught Fourteen's eye and tried in vain to tell her he loved her with all the force he could muster into an eyeball.
Mia had gone white, her voice trembled as she spoke. 'Am I free to go, Father?'
'Yes, yes. I have no further use for you or your Mother. I will allow you to fetch her.' He looked her up and down. 'Before you go, I see you managed to get your magic blocked. As you are no longer using it, I will.' He made a grabbing gesture at his daughter. Her whole body arched backwards, head flung back, fingers curled in pain. She screamed as he ripped her power from her body. When he had finished, he turned disdainfully and Mia fell to the floor in a silent heap. She was still alive, Ned could see her breathing,
but it was erratic and he had never heard of anyone surviving a power rob like that before. Especially not one as brutal or as complete as that one. Usually power thieves left a little behind. It could be replenished over time eventually, so it made sense to let it grow back. That way there would always be someone to rob. But occasionally they took too much and the human shell left behind never lasted for long. Ned risked an eyeball at Brogan. His face was stony, muscles clenched as he strained with every fibre of his being to move. A single tear rolled down his cheek.
The sorcerer continued appraising the rest of the party. 'You and you can be drained.' He pointed at Jenni and Willow who were released from the freezing spell only to be magically bound together and gagged. But he had underestimated Willow's power - many do. She was psychically calling all the limited vegetation in the area to her. All she needed was something thorny to help rub these ropes free and the extra plant life would help boost Jenni's power although to Ned's fourth eye she was already glowing incandescently. Surely the sorcerer could see that?
'You, you may leave. I have no need for muscle.' Brogan turned woodenly and began to walk away, completely under the thrall of the sorcerers' suggestion. He didn't turn back to look at Mia once although Ned thought he could see various shoulder muscles rippling as if they were fighting each other.
'You two. Now you are what I really want. I will drain the power of true love from you and release my chains. Lawman, you can then die. You however, young Empress, you are an interesting figurehead. I can make a pretty little puppet out of you.' The sorcerer was looking at Fourteen with a peculiar light in his eyes. Ned felt hot molten anger pour into his bones and suddenly, he could move. He tried to breathe normally and not give anything away. He risked a glance at Willow and Jenni who nodded slightly at him, they were free. It was now or never. Ned eased the dagger from his belt and threw it with lightning accuracy at the sorcerer. It bounced off his personal shield as he turned with a laugh.
'Did you really think a little blade could defeat me?'
'Worth a shot.'
The sorcerer's eyes narrowed. 'How are you moving? Nothing should be able to penetrate my spell.'
'That's wot you fink.' Jenni threw a fireball at him which glanced away from the sorcerer harmlessly but it did take his attention away from Ned. Willow was encouraging lichen and moss, fungi and weeds to grow around the sorcerers' feet, to find the smallest crack in the shield and wedge themselves in. Many tendrils were being fried but still more were being thrust forward and purchase was happening. A tiny pore became a chink and microscopic fungal spores flooded through the hole attaching themselves to the sorcerer, encouraged by Willow's loving magic.
The sorcerer wasn't paying the slightest bit of attention to the small amounts of plant life attaching to him. Instead he was cackling manically as he exchanged power balls with Jenni. Different colours, different sizes, being thrown all at once. Fast and slow, high and low, in dizzying patterns bouncing harmlessly off each other but leaving magical residue all over the place. Now that he could move Ned opened his power wells to the utmost of his ability and willed the magic to come to him. Nothing happened for the longest moment, but then a slow trickle began. It was powerful stuff.
The sorcerer began to notice things were happening around him. He looked down and saw that his feet were completely encased in various mountain vegetation. He tried to move but he couldn't, so he aimed releasing spells at his feet. A few shoots withered and died, but otherwise the vegetation tightened its grip. It was fuelled by Willow's grief and was one hundred times stronger than it should have been. Jenni continued to fire her balls and now that the sorcerer was distracted, his shield began to weaken until a blue ball of electrical fire hit him right in the goolies. He groaned and bent over, blindly sending out a scatter spell of fireballs. They all missed.
In all the distraction Fourteen, now also able to move, unwrapped her bow and arrow. She nocked one of the arrows tipped with the killer paste, lifted the bow and took her shot. The sorcerer jolted as the arrow impacted his chest and went through his heart. Smoke began to rise. He looked down in confusion then rage filled him and he wrenched his feet from the vegetation instantly killing everything plant based within a twenty mile radius. Willow crumpled to the ground.
The sorcerer threw a powerful incantation to his left and knocked Jenni over. She fell and cracked her head on the ground. She didn't move. With his other hand the sorcerer pulled out the arrow and threw it to the floor. 'How dare you!' he snarled. He advanced on Fourteen who stood her ground, never looking more beautiful. Before the sorcerer could bring about his wrath Ned released a spell. It flew at the sorcerer like black putty, hitting him on the back and began to spread all over his body so fast, Ned's eyes couldn't keep up with it. As the blackness engulfed him, the sorcerer howled in rage before disappearing with a wet plop.
Fourteen ran to Ned, shaking slightly as she clung to him and they hugged each other in relief for a long time.
'Where did you send him?' she asked.
'To the middle of nowhere.' Ned grinned at her.
'Won't he escape?'
'I don't think so. He needs to find love.' Ned tenderly stroked Fourteen's face. 'Not much chance of that, huh?' And he kissed her. It would have been the perfect moment except for Jenni's string of loud abuse as she came to.
Fourteen broke off the kiss and with a quick smile at Ned she rushed to help the sprite. Ned looked over at the direction Brogan had gone and saw that he was hurtling back to Mia. She was groaning, at least she was still alive. With Brogan's help she might pull through such a vicious power theft. Or perhaps Momma K could do something for her. Ned knelt down and gathered Willow into his arms. She had lost all colour, all her leaves, all her femininity. She was gnarled bark with arms, legs and a face locked in pain. He stroked her bark gently, whispering nonsense words of comfort. He hadn't realised that she had been that sweet on Joe. Poor lad. Look at him, lying there on the floor. Someone must have rolled him over. But, wasn't that his chest rising up and down?
'Willow? Sweetheart. He's alive.' Ned stroked her face.
Willow's dark brown eyes, filled with pain, unfroze and she looked at Ned in confusion then she turned her head and saw Joe dazedly getting up from the ground. Instantly she nymphed. Her lush, thick, green hair sprang out of her head and all her wiles whooshed back with such force that Ned had to take several moments to gather himself against the immense gush of nympheremones. It helped that he could look at Fourteen who was checking Jenni's scalp for any breaks. He looked at their little team and shook his head in wonder. They had made it. Somehow they had all bloody made it.
Epilogue
Of course the group then had to release the various trapped fae from the sorcerer's cave as well as rescue Mia & Joe's mum. It was a slow procession back down the mountain and a lengthy return to Roshaven. They avoided Fidelia and went the long way round, no one was keen to swim with the mermaids again. Plus Ned wanted to pay his respects to Griff's widow.
Mia and Joe's father remains in the middle of nowhere. Or somewhere to the left of it now I believe.
Joe stayed with the Thief-Catchers. Willow is flourishing. I hear on the grapevine there is talk of buds.
Sparks continues to shine light into the depths of Roshaven's criminal underworld and Pearl remains a useful aquatic team player.
Mia eventually worked off her debt and Momma K's binding wore off. The magic came back slowly. Her and Brogan now take on impossible quests. They succeed five times out of seven.
Jenni remains Jenni.
Ned and Fourteen... well now, that is another story.
I would like to say thank you, as always, to my beloved husband Kevin for putting up with me as I wrote and edited The Rose Thief. I could not succeed without his love and support.
Thank you to my wonderful team of beta readers - Donna Tyrell, Claire Evans, Mike Rice, Hannah Bligh, Taron Wade & Kate Bentley. Your fantastic attention to detail and willingness to discuss character intrica
cies with me at random moments was invaluable.
Huge thanks to Ian Bristow, who saved the day with his wonderful artwork and created the beautiful cover for The Rose Thief. He captured the characters perfectly. You can find out more about his artwork at www.iancbristow.com
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Claire Buss is a science fiction, fantasy & contemporary writer based in the UK. She wanted to be Lois Lane when she grew up but work experience at her local paper was eye-opening. Instead Claire went on to work in a variety of admin roles for over a decade but never felt quite at home. An avid reader, baker and Pinterest addict Claire won second place in the Barking and Dagenham Pen to Print writing competition in 2015 setting her writing career in motion. The Gaia Effect, the winner of the Favourite Fantasy/Sci-Fi book Raven Award, was published in 2016, Tales from Suburbia and The Rose Thief were published in 2017. Claire's short story, Underground Scratchings, features in the Inklings Press Anthology, Tales from the Underground, published 2017 and her short story, Patient Data, features in the SciFi Roundtable Anthology, The Quantum Soul, published 2017. All of Claire's works are available to purchase in ebook and paperback on Amazon.